Container for reels of elongated material



L. B. ROSEN Filed Oct. 25, 1965 INVENT OR Nov. 8, 1966 CONTAINER FOR REELS 0F ELONGATED MATERIAL FIG I Leonard B. Rosen ATTORNEYS disadvantages.

United States Patent 3,283,887 CONTAINER FOR REELS OF ELONGATED MATERIAL Leonard B. Rosen, RD. 2, Jamestown, Pa. Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,475 20 Claims. (Cl. 206-52) This invention relates to a container for spools or reels of convolutely wound elongated material and relates more particularly to industrial containers for carrying, storing and shipping of heavy spools of wire and the like.

Although the instant invention is basically directed to the provision of protective containers for reels of relatively heavy weight industrial material such as wire, heavy rope and the like and the constructions to be described hereinafter are particularly useful for such materials, at least the broad concepts of this invention are equally applicable to use with spools of other, lighter weight elongated materials such as thread, yarn, string and fine electrical wires.

Handling of spools of heavy industrial materials is particularly difiicult because of the weight and somewhat cumbersome construction of the same and such spools therefore are frequently dropped or rolled from one place to another to avoid lifting the same. The wound material is thus subjected to frequent and relatively severe shocks which may sometimes result in rather expensive damage or injury to the material. Further, this rough treatment often results in breaking the spools themselves.

Another difiiculty encountered with wire or rope spools utilized in accordance with prior art practices is that the free end of the wound material is not secured in any way whereby large quantities of the material become unwound and tangled during use. Further, such reels of material are conventionally stored in an uncovered relationship such as in a hardware store or the like whereby the material has a tendency to become soiled or damaged from its surrounding environment.

Industrial containers for such spools as suggested by the prior art are generally inconvenient and time consuming to use and therefore such techniques have, for the most part, been rejected. It has generally been necessary to completely remove the spool from the container in order to dispense a quantity of the elongated material and then reinsert the spool in the container if the material it not completely depleted and it desired to protect the material during further handling or storage. The disadvantages of such arrangements are self-evident.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a container for spools of elongated material of the type described which is free from the foregoing and other Consistent with the above, it is a basic objective of this invention to provide a protective container for such a spool which may be readily opened for dispensing of material without removing the spool from the container and readily rescaled to protectively cover a partially depleted spool.

Further in this regard, it is an important object of this invention to provide a protective container for spools of relatively heavy elongated materials which facilitates handling and shipping of such spools and precludes damaging .or soiling of the material during the procedures ordinarily encountered in use. According to at least one embodiment of this invention, a container is provided which rotates on a stationary base to facilitate dispensing of material from a spool therewithin.

Yet another object of the instant invention is the provision of a protective container of the type described which includes an integral reel of elongated material to preclude the necessity of having to remove an empty Patented Nov. 8, 1966 reel from the container to rewind the same with additional elongated material.

Yet another object of the instant invention is the provision of a combination reel and container therefor which serves to grasp the free end of the elongated material on the reel to prevent unwinding and/or tangling of the same. Further, it is a feature of this invention to provide such a combination wherein the elongated material carries substantially spaced measuring indicia to facilitate dispensing a desired quantity of such material.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a container of the type described which will collapse to a relatively compact size when it is not being utilized to receive a spool or reel of elongated material.

Finally, a primary object of this invention is the provision of a protective container for reels of elongated material which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eflicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and utilize.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the instant invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through one embodiment of a container in accordance with the instant inventive concept shown as empty and collapsed for storage;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the container of FIGURE 1 with a conventional spool of elongated material therewithin, the cover member of the container having been raised to its closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross sectional view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the cover member partially lowered to its opened or dispensing position;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the container of this invention having a rotatable supporting stand; and

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view through still another modification of the container of the instant invention having an integral reel for elongated material, the opened position of the container being shown in full lines and the closed position of the container being shown in dotted lines.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in general, and more particularly to FIGURES l3, one construction of a protective container in accordance with the instant invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and as will be seen particularly in FIGURES 2 and 3, the container 10 is adapted to receive therewithin a conventional spool 12 of elongated material 14. The spool or reel 12 includes a central core shown in dotted lines at 16 in FIGURE 2 with a pair of flange members 18, 20 extending outwardly from the extremities of the core 16. The elongated material 14 is wound on the core 16 intermediate the flange members 18, 20 and the exterior layer of the elongated material on a full reel extends from the core 16 a distance less than the peripheries of the flange members. The spool 12 may be formed of any suitable material and is conventionally wooden. Similarly, the elongated material 14 may take many forms, although the instant inventive concept, as pointed out hereinabove, is particularly useful with spools of relatively heavy industrial material such as wire or rope. In this regard, it is to be understood that the container of this invention will find particular utility for use with spools of electrical wire or the like for home use such as are conventionally found in hardware stores and other such commercial outlets.

Similarly, the container v may be formed of any suitable material including wood, metal, plastic and the like, and may even be all or partly transparent, if desired, to facilitate visually viewing the spool therewithin.

The container 10 comprises a base member 22 and a cover member 24 each of which has an upstanding annular side wall 26, 28 respectively. The side wall 26 of the base member 22 has a substantially open upper end 30 and includes a bottom element 32 at least substantially closing the lower end and forming a support for the spool 12. The side wall 28 of the cover member 24 includes substantially open upper and lower ends 34, 36, respectively.

It will be seen that the side walls 26, 28 telescopingly engage each other to permit relative movement of the cover member 24 with respect to the base member 22 between a lowered, opened position such as shown, for example, in either FIGURE 1 or 3, and a raised, closed position such as shown in FIGURE 2. The cover member 24 includes a gripping means defined by an opening 38 formed in an inwardly directed flange 40 at the upper end of the side wall 28. The opening 38 substantially corresponds in shape to the cross-sectional configuration of one of the flange members 18 of the spool 12 whereby it frictionally engages the periphery of the flange member 18 in gripping relationship in the closed position of the container 10 shown in FIGURE 2.

In order to facilitate moving the cover member 24 with respect to the base member 22 and to frictionally engage the gripping means with the flange member 18 of the spool 12, a handle 42 is carried by the cover member 24. Basically, the handle 42 is in the form of a substantially U-shaped element having its terminal ends 44, 46 pivotally secured to oppositely disposed exterior portions of the side wall 28 of the cover member 24 adjacent the upper end of the same. In this manner, the

handle 42 will normally hang downwardly as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 in which position it is substantially out of the way. However, when it is desired to lift or raise the cover member 24 and engage the gripping means with the flange member 18 of the spool 12, the handle 42 can be rotated to the position shown in FIGURE 2 anld utilized to pull the cover member 24 upwardly and force the gripping means into frictional engagement with the flange member of the spool.

To preclude accidental disengagement of the cover member 24 from the base member 22 cooperating stop means are associated with each of the side walls 26, 28. Basically, the stop means includes a limiting element, preferably in the form of an outwardly directed, continuous peripheral bead 48 carried by the upper end of the side wall 26 of the base member 22 and a limiting element formed by an inwardly directed, continuous, peripheral head 50 carried by the lower end of the side wall 28 of the cover member 24. The beads 48, 50 engage each other as seen in FIGURE 2 when the cover member 24 is raised to its closed position.

In some instances, particularly when the reel of elongated material is almost completely depleted, the upward force on the cover member 24 necessary to frictionally engage the gripping means with the flange member 18 of the spool 12 may be less than the downward force of the weight of the spool itself. To overcome any problem which this situation may entail, a foot-engaging means in the form of an outwardly directed, continuous peripheral ledge 52 may be provided on the lower end of the side wall 26 of the base member 22.

The use and operation of the embodiment of FIG- URES 1 to 3 will now be apparent. In order to avoid the necessity of lifting a relatively heavy full reel of elongated material into the container 10, the container may merely be inverted and placed over one of the flange members of the reel. This assembly of the reel and container may then be tilted over, laid down and reposi tioned with the opposite flange member of the spool extending upwardly and the container 10 beneath the spool as shown, for example, in FIGURE 3. The cover member 24 may then be raised to the closed position of FIGURE 2 by grasping the handle 42 and lifting upwardly to frictionally engage the gripping means about the periphery of the flange member 18 of the spool 12. If desired, the free end 54 of the elongated material 14 may be engaged between the gripping means and the flange member 18 to preclude accidental unwinding of the elongated material. When it is desired .to dispense a quantity of the elongated material 14, the cover member 24 is pressed downwardly as shown by the arrows 56 in FIGURE 3 to define an annular space for withdrawal of the elongated material between the upper end of the side wall 28 of the cover member 24 and the flange member 18 of the spool 12. In the relatively simple embodiment of FIGURES 13, the elongated material 14 is merely unwound from around the spool and any excess of material is rewound before again lifting the cover member 24 to the closed position of FIGURE 2. When the weight of the spool and elongated material thereon is not sufficiently great to retain the base member 22 on the floor or the like during the lifting procedure for the cover member 24, the ledge 52 may be engaged by one or both feet while the handle member 42 is pulled upwardly to frictionally lock the gripping means about the flange member 18 of the spool 12.

In the closed position of FIGURE 2, the container 10 with the spool 12 therewithin may be readily carried from one place to another by the handle 42. Alternatively, with the handle dropped as shown in FIGURE 1 or 3, the container and spool assembly can be laid down, if desired, and rolled to a new location in a quick and easy manner.

An empty spool may be readily withdrawn by merely lifting the same free of the container and numerous containers may be stored in a relatively small area because of their compact size when collapsed as shown in FIG- URE 1.

According to a preferred feature of this invention, the elongated material 14 may be provided with substantially equally spaced measuring indicia 58 throughout its entire length, for example, at one foot or one yard intervals. The measuring indicia may merely be colored markings directly on the exterior surface of the elongated material and will serve to facilitate withdrawing and measuring a desired length of the elongated material from the reel.

A modified embodiment of the instant invention is shown in FIGURE 4 wherein parts similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3 are designated by the same reference numeral followed by the sutli a." In this embodiment, the lower end of the side wall 260 of the base member 22:: is closed by a bottom element (not shown) which may include an outstanding foot-engaging ledge 52a, if desired. A stationary support element 60 underlies the base member 22a and bearing means of any desired form such as the ball bearings illustratively shown at 62 are interposed between the support element 60 and the bottom of the base member 22a. In this manner, the container 10a may rotate "with respect to the stationary element 60 to facilitate dispensing of the elongated material from the reel therewithin.

Another modified embodiment'of the container of the instant invention is shown in FIGURE 5 wherein parts similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3 are designated by the same reference numeral followed by a suffix b. In this embodiment, the reel 12b is integral with the base member 22b of the container 10b rather than be1n=g a separate element as in the embodiment of FIG- URES 13. The reel core 161) is secured in any conventional manner substantially centrally to the upper surface of the bottom element 321) and extends upwardly therefrom. The flange member 18!; of the reel extends outwardly from the other extremity of the core 16b and the elongated material shown in dotted lines at 14b is wound on the reel core 16b intermediate the flange member 1811 and the bottom element 32b of the base member 22b of the container b. Otherwise, this embodiment is utilized in substantially the same manner as the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3.

It is to be understood that although, in each instance, the cover member has been shown as telescopingly engaged over the base member of the container, which is the preferred arrangement from the standpoint of sturdiness in construction, substantially similar results could be obtained by telescopingly engaging the cover member within the base member. With this latter design, the interior portions of the upper end of the cover member could define the gripping means without providing an inwardly directed flange such as is shown in the drawing.

Thus, it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved container for spools of elongated material which satisfies all of the objectives of the instant invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

I Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to i be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Accordingly, What is claimed is:

1. In the combination of a container and spool of elongated material wound on a central core of a reel having a flange member extending outwardly from at least one extremity of the core a distance greater than the exterior layer of elongated material on a full reel, the improvement which comprises said container comprising a base member and a cover member, said base member having an upstanding, annular side wall with a substantially open upper end and a substantially closed lower end, said cover member having an upstanding annular side wall with substantially open upper and lower ends, said side wall of said cover member telescopingly engaging said side wall of said base member to permit movement of said cover member with respect to said base member between a lowered, opened position and a raised, closed position, and gripping means on said upper end of said side wall of said cover member engaging the flange member of the reel within said container when said cover member is raised to said closed position, said side walls of said base member and said cover member being dimensioned with respect to each other and with respect to the reel within said container so as to define an annular space for withdrawal of the elongated material between said upper end of said side wall of said cover member and the flange member of the reel within said container when said cover member is lowered to said opened position, and so as to define a substantially continuous enclosure extending in spaced protective, overlying relationship to the elongated material on the reel within said container when said cover member is raised to said closed position with said gripping means engaging the flange member of the reel.

2. In the combination defined in claim 1 said container further including cooperating stop means associated with each of said side walls to :preclude accidental disengagement of said cover member from said base member.

3. In the combination defined in claim 2 wherein said stop means includes a limiting element carried by said upper end of said side wall of said base member and extending toward said side wall of said cover member, and a limiting element carried by said lower end of said side wall of said cover member and extending toward said side wall of said base member, said limiting elements engaging each other when said cover member is raised to said closed position.

4. In the combination defined in claim 3 wherein said side wall of said cover member circumscribes said side wall of said base member, said limiting element of said base member being defined by an outwardly directed, continuous, peripheral bead carried by said upper end of said side wall of said base member, and said limiting element of said cover member being defined by an inwardly directed, continuous peripheral bead carried by said lower end of said side wall of said cover member.

5. In the combination defined in claim 1 said container further including a handle carried by said cover member to facilitate raising said cover member to said closed position and engaging said gripping means with the flange member of the reel within said container.

6. In the combination defined in claim 5 wherein said handle includes a substantially U-s'haped element having its terminal ends pivotally secured to oppositely disposed exterior portions of said side wall of said cover member adjacent said upper end of the same.

7. In the combination defined in claim 1 said container further including a foot-engaging means carried by the exterior of said lower end of said side wall of said base member.

8. In the combination defined in claim 7 wherein said foot-engaging means is defined by an outwardly directed, continuous peripheral ledge.

9. In the combination defined in claim 1 wherein said lower end of said side wall of said base member is closed by a bottom element, a stationary support element, and bearing means interposed between said support element and said bottom element to provide for relative rotation between said base member and said stationary support element.

10. In the combination defined in claim 1 wherein said lower end of said side wall of said base member is closed by a bottom element, an upstanding reel core havingone end secured substantially centrally to the upper surface of said bottom element, a reel flange member secured to the other end of said reel core and extending outwardly therefrom, the elongated material wound on said reel core intermediate said flange member and said bottom element with the exterior layer of said elongated material being spaced from said reel core a distance less than the periphery of said reel flange member.

11. In the combination defined in claim 1 wherein said gripping means includes interior means at said upper end of said side wall of said cover member forming an opening substantially corresponding in shape to the cross-sectional configuration of the flange member of the reel within said container whereby said interior means frictionally engages the periphery of the flange member in gripping relation ship.

12. In combination, a reel having a central core and a flange member extending outwardly from at least one extremity of said core, an elongated material wound on said core with the exterior layer of said material extending outwardly from said core a distance less than the periphery of said flange member, a container having said reel therewithin, said container including a base member supporting said reel and a cover member, said base member having an upstanding, annular side wall with a substantially open upper end and a substantially closed lower end, said cover member having an upstanding annular side Wall with substantially open upper and lower ends, said side wall of said cover member telescopingly engaging said side wall of said base member to permit movement of said cover member with respect to said base member between a lowered, opened position and a raised, closed position, and gripping means on said upper end of said side wall of said cover member engaging said flange member of said reel when said cover member is raised to said closed position, said side walls of said base member and said cover member being dimensioned with respect to each other and with respect to said reel so as to define an annular space for Withdrawal of said elongated material between said upper end of said side wall of said cover member and said flange member of said reel when said cover member is lowered to said opened position,

and so as to define a substantially continuous enclosure vextending in spaced, protective, overlying relationship to said elongated material when said cover member is raised to said closed position with said gripping means engaging said flange member of said reel.

13. "The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said lower end of said side wall of said base member is at least substantially closed by a bottom element, said reel including an additional flange member extending outwardly from the other extremity of said core and substantially corresponding in cross-sectional configuration to said first-mentioned flange member, said elongated material being wound on said core intermediate said flange members and said additional flange member resting on the upper surface of said bottom element when said reel is within said container.

14. The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said lower end of said side wall of said base member is closed by a bottom element, said core of said reel being secured substantially centrally to, and upstanding from, the upper surface of said bottom element, said elongated material being wound on said core intermediate said flange member and said bottom element.

15. The combination defined in claim 12 further including substantially equally spaced measuring indicia defined on said elongated material to facilitate withdrawing a desired length of said elongated material from said reel.

16. The combination defined in claim 12 further including a limiting element carried by said upper end of said side wall of said base member and extending toward said side wall of said cover member, and a limiting element carried by said lower end of said side wall of said cover member and extending toward said side wall of said base member, said limiting elements engaging each other when said cover member is raised to said closed position.

, 17. The combination defined in claim 12 further including a handle carried by said cover member to facilitate raising said cover member to said closed position and engaging said gripping means with said flange member of said reel, said handle including a substantially U-shaped element having its terminal ends pivotally secured to oppositely disposed exterior portions of said side wall of said cover member adjacent said upper end of the same.

18. The combination defined in claim 12 further including a foot-engaging means carried by the exterior of said lower end of said side wall of said base member, said foot-engaging means being defined by an outwardly directed, continuous peripheral ledge.

19. The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said lower end of said side wall of said base member is closed by a bottom element, a stationary support element, and bearing means interposed between said support element and said :bottom element to provide for relative rotation between said base member and said stationary support element.

20. The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said gripping means includes interior means at said upper end of said side wall of said cover member forming an opening substantially corresponding in shape to the cross-sectional configuration of said flange member of said reel whereby said interior means frictionally engages the periphery of said flange member in gripping relationship.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 162,989 5/1875 Yeomans 206-66 3,009,611 11/1961 Bates 242-138 X LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. 

12. IN COMBINATION, A REEL HAVING A CENTRAL CORE AND A FLANGE MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM AT LEAST ONE EXTREMITY OF SAID CORE, AN ELONGATED MATERIAL WOUND ON SAID CORE WITH THE EXTERIOR LAYER OF SAID MATERIAL EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CORE A DISTANCE LESS THAN THE PERIPHERY OF SAID FLANGE MEMBER, A CONTAINER HAVING SAID REEL THEREWITHIN, SAID CONTAINER INCLUDING A BASE MEMBER SUPPORTING SAID REEL AND A COVER MEMBER, SAID BASE MEMBER HAVING AN UPSTANDING, ANNULAR SIDE WALL WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN UPPER END AND A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED LOWER END, SAID COVER MEMBER HAVING AN UPSTANDING ANNULAR SIDE WALL WITH SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, SAID SIDE WALL OF SAID COVER MEMBER TELESCOPINGLY ENGAGING SAID SIDE WALL OF SAID BASE MEMBER TO PERMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID COVER MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE MEMBER BETWEEN A LOWERED, OPENED POSITION AND A RAISED, CLOSED POSITION, AND GRIPPING MEANS ON SAID UPPER END OF SAID SIDE WALL OF SAID COVER MEMBER ENGAGING SAID FLANGE MEMBER OF SAID REEL WHEN SAID COVER MEMBER IS RAISED TO SAID CLOSED POSITION, SAID SIDE WALLS OF SAID BASE MEMBER AND SAID COVER MEMBER BEING DIMENSIONED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND WITH RESPECT TO SAID REEL SO AS TO DEFINE AN ANNULAR SPACE FOR WITHDRAWAL OF SAID ELONGATED MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID UPPER END OF SAID SIDE WALL OF SAID COVER MEMBER AND SAID FLANGE MEMBER OF SAID REEL WHEN SAID COVER MEMBER IS LOWERED TO SAID OPENED POSITION, AND SO AS TO DEFINE A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS ENCLOSURE EXTENDING IN SPACED, PROTECTIVE, OVERLYING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID ELONGATED MATERIAL WHEN SAID COVER MEMBER IS RAISED TO SAID CLOSED POSITION WITH SAID GRIPPING MEANS ENGAGING SAID FLANGE MEMBER OF SAID REEL. 